


Curfew

by jii



Category: FFXV - Fandom, Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet, F/M, FFXV, Final Fantasy XV - Freeform, NSFW, Reader Insert, some nsfw content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-12 17:24:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16877079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jii/pseuds/jii
Summary: Having been born part daemon, you conceal your secret from the Crown Prince and his entourage. But one little slip up reveals the truth.





	1. Part 1

Fear crept over you as you huddled yourself in the abandoned shack you had taken refuge in. You had been out on a tedious hunt with the boys when you lost track of time and gazed into the horizon to see the sun was nearly down. You didn’t have the opportunity to say anything as you bolted for the nearest place to hide. You didn’t want them to know your dark secret. You didn’t even entrust you boyfriend, Gladio, to the crucial detail as to why you refused to stick around after dark.

You stared at your fingertips in the moonlight that spilled from the caved in roof of the abandoned shack you took refuge in, able to see the blackening veins overtake what flesh colored skin was left on your hands and your nails turning sharp. It was always a painful process, but truthfully you had gotten used to it. You stood from your corner and gazed out the cracked window of the shack, only to be met with your own terrifying reflection. Black liquid had begun to seep from the corner of your yellow eyes and the veins surrounding your face seemed darker and more prominent than usual.

“It’s just another night, Y/N. Just calm down-”

Your self-condolence was interrupted as your phone rang from your pocket. Quickly retrieving your phone, you felt your body threaten to convulse at the name on the bright screen.

It was Gladio.

You answered with hesitance, returning to your corner.

“Hello-”

“Y/N, where the hell are you?! You just disappeared!” There was no mistaking the distress in his tone as he spoke, his breaths hard and labored against the speaker as if he had just gotten done with fighting off a Behemoth. “We thought a griffon took you or something….”

“It’s dark out,” you murmured.

“I know that.” He paused, letting silence take over for a few moments until he spoke again, but in a more hushed tone. “Y/N, can we talk about this? I know I’ve never really said anything about it before, but why do you keep taking off after dark?”

You knew this day would come, but you had only hoped that you would be the one to initially tell him yourself once you worked up the courage. You grimaced, feeling two inky black horns begin to sprout from the top of your forehead and curl back in spikes. Gladio must have heard you stifle your grunts because he asked someone to pull up a GPS, probably Ignis.

“Hang tight, babe, we’re on our way.”   
Your eyes shot open at his words. On their way? How could they have already known where you were?

“Gladiolus, please, no! I don’t want you to see me like this!” The desperation of your voice only worried Gladio even more, hearing the sound of hurried footsteps over loose rocks. You stood and peeked out the window, being able to spot four distant flash lights coming closer.

“I see something moving by the window- is that you in there, Y/N?”

You panicked and ended the call, scrambling from your spot and ducking under an old desk against the opposite wall. Please, gods, don’t let them see me like this. You were an abomination and you knew it. All this time, Noctis and his friends had been hunting monsters and taking down daemons, not knowing that one stood among them this entire time.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂ 

“We’re not so different, you and I.”

You had gotten separated from the rest of the boys while infiltrating a hidden magitek factory. The last person you had expected to run into was Ardyn, the cause of most of your group’s problems, and he had you cornered with hands firmly pressed against the wall on either side of you to block your escape routes.

“Daemon blood courses through your veins as it does through mine. Do your friends know this?” When you didn’t respond and cast your gaze away, his grin widened. “Oh, they don’t, do they? What would they say upon discovering your secret?”

“They’re not gonna do anything because they’re my friends,” you hissed, glaring daggers up at the man before you. Your determined words didn’t seem to faze him as he gave you an expectant look.

“You think friendship can conceal what you are capable of? The prince wouldn’t stand a chance against you in your full power should you accept what you were meant to be. And your precious Gladio… constantly treating you like a dandelion as if just one blow from falling apart.”

You shook your head, refusing to believe what Ardyn preached. Sure, your boyfriend would get a bit overprotective sometimes, ask you to stay behind when heading off to dungeons with the others, and always going easier on you during training… He didn’t think lesser of you, did he? You wouldn’t have asked to come along on their journey had you not been able to protect yourself, but had they really given you the opportunity to prove your usefulness? Your eyes clouded in confusion as your doubts began to fill your head, seeming to satisfy Ardyn. You flinched as he brushed your cheek with the back of his hand and that familiar pain began to spread through you.

“I know your true potential, Y/N.” His eyes began to change and black veins spread across his face, reflecting your own painful and distorted appearance. “I will be watching over you, my dear.”

And just like that, he was gone and your daemon features quickly receding. You let yourself slump against the steel wall, hearing hurried footsteps and the familiar voices of your party. When Gladio and the others finally found you, you couldn’t help but think back at what Ardyn said. You would glance up at him, his hand holding yours in a protective and tight grip as you exited the facility, and remember.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂ 

The broken door of the shack swung open and Gladio called out for you, his flashlight illuminating the run down interior and revealing your boots poking out from under the desk.   
“Y/N,” he whispered, growing near, “I know you’re there.”

“STAY BACK!” Your voice cracked as you shrunk in on yourself more, turning your body more towards the wall and out of his view. Soon the light was directly on you, revealing your clothes that were stained in a black inky substance and branch-like appendages twisted around your head. You didn’t know why were so compelled to face him when he placed a gentle hand on your shoulder.  
Tears stung your eyes as you took in his expression; he looked absolutely distraught, as if you had just lost a limb and swore you were fine. 

“Babydoll, come here,” his voice was a mere whisper as he pulled you close and cradled you in his arms. You weakly attempted to push him away, but your efforts were useless against the burly man. Why wasn’t he repulsed by you? Here you were, in your true form, and yet he held you as if he could lose you at any moment. 

“I don’t understand,” you murmured repeatedly, shaking your head in refusal. Calloused hands turned you to look up, eyes focused on amber orbs. 

“I don’t care what you look like. I’ve known you for half a decade, you think I’m just going to forget every moment we’ve fought and been alongside each other?” His lips curled into that adoring smile he always gave you when he got lost in your eyes. 

In the past five years, Gladio had never questioned why you always went home as soon as the sun had began to set. It was always in the warm glow of the sun that he’d make love to you, where he could see you in what part of you was still human. You had convinced yourself that this was the only time he’d give his love to you. And yet here you both were, in a run down shack at your absolute worse, and he made no move to let go of you anytime soon. 

When you didn’t speak, he continued.   
“If anyone dares to even doubt the fucking amazing person that you are, I’ll tear them apart. I’d still love you even if the sun never rose again.” 

Your eyes had begun to burn from the uncontrollable tears streaming down your pale and black veined face. A sob escaped your lips as you buried your face in his chest, vocalizing your distress and pain. It must have been loud, because Gladio lifted his head at the sound of footsteps on the old wooden floor.   
“Gladio?” It was Noctis. “Everything alright? Is Y/N okay?”  
You buried yourself in him more, afraid of letting Noct see you in such a state. He could only see that his friend had his back mostly turned to him and he held onto you. Gladio got the hint, looking back at the prince and nodding. 

“Yeah,” he reassured the prince, “just give us a few minutes”  
You looked up at the sound of receding footsteps and willed yourself to calm down, doing your best to clean your face with your sleeve. Gladio held you there for a while, whispering sweet nothings into your ear as you came down from your perturbation. He asked you when this had all began, to which you finally revealed to him. 

“Hey, you don’t think you can control other daemons, can you? That would save us a lot of trouble,” he grinned. You paused, thinking back and giggling at a memory.   
“You remember that night you guys went to the Keycatrich Trench? Prom got cornered by a pack of goblins and they suddenly started going bat shit crazy-”   
Gladio howled in laughter, recalling the mission vividly.   
“That was you? Holy shit, babe,” he shook his head, leaning down and kissing your forehead. 

Eventually you were able to get back on your feet and now you both stood by the exit, the panel of flimsy wood separating you and your friends. Gladio held your hand and gave you a worried look, the other against the door to push it open.  
“You sure you’re ready? You don’t have to force yourself to do this.” 

You nodded and got on your tip toes to give him a soft kiss.   
“I’ve hidden this long enough,” you said. “I’m ready.” 

Gladio nodded and pushed open the door, the three flashlights blinding you for a few moments. You stepped forward, keeping your head high as you approached the rest of the boys. Eyes quickly adjusting to the light, you could make out their faces: Noctis and Prompto looked surprised but not alarmed while Ignis was as stone cold as ever. Was there anything that could possibly move this man? A shy smile crept across your face as you gave a small wave, the feeling of nervousness seeping away at the feel of your boyfriend giving your hand a reassuring squeeze.

“W-Well,” Prom broke the silence, “ that explains a lot…” 

“I’ve always had a hunch,” Ignis commented with the adjustment of his spectacles.

When you couldn’t find the words to address them, you looked up at Gladio, who met your gaze and smiled.   
“How about we make camp closer to town?” He looked up at his companions, awaiting an answer. 

Noctis waved his hand as he began to walk away. “Hell no, we’re staying in a motel tonight.” 

The walk back to the Regalia and short drive to the motel was filled with small inquiries from the men in hopes of having a better understanding of your “condition”. They made it clear that they could care less as to the fact that you were a daemon. They trusted you; you were a loyal friend and fighter. And if anything, they insisted that you come on more hunts and join them when exploring dungeons. When Gladio made an unsure sound, you simply looked up at him with determined yellow eyes. I can take care of myself, they read to which he nodded in understanding.

You were surprised when Noct presented you and Gladio with a key to your own room. You didn’t get the opportunity to ask when he walked off and Gladio hoisted you over his shoulder. 

“Gladdy, what are you doing?” You squealed as he climbed the stairs to the second story and unlocked the door to your suite. He kicked the door shut and practically tossed you on the plush bed, quickly climbing on top of you and giving you a heated kiss. 

His breath was hot against your ear once his lips broke away from yours.   
“I’m gonna make sure you know how much I love you, baby girl.” 

Gladio quickly discarded his clothing and helped in removing your own, making sure to kiss and caress your skin when you shrunk away due to your insecurity. Your skin was ghostly pale, black veins contrasting against your flesh. It wasn’t appealing to you and you wondered how Gladio didn’t seem turned off. He seemed to take notice of your demeanor and pressed himself against you, the heat of his muscular body burning against your cold skin and arousal brushing against your inner thigh. 

“You’ve no fucking idea how sexy you look, Y/N.” He kissed you passionately, a hand trailing down to squeeze your ass. You moaned into his mouth, losing yourself in his intoxicating ministrations. 

That night, Gladiolus brought you to the edge over and over until you reached your breaking point. Your throat ached from the moans and screams he elicited from you, your body sore and slumped against the mattress. You had lost track of how many times he had made you cum at this point, and it was barely passed midnight. Shivers crawled over your skin as you felt him press his broad chest against your back and grip your hips. 

“I’m not done with you yet.” 

⁂ ⁂ ⁂ 

You did your best to not fall as you staggered over to the bathroom, sore and wobbly from your session of debauchery with Gladio. It was nearly three in the morning when your boyfriend had spent all his energy and now lay passed out on the bed. It was only after you cleaned your inner thighs and took care of your business that you looked yourself in the mirror. Your hair was tousled, tangling with your branch-like horns and your skin was littered in bite marks and hickeys. You couldn’t help but blush at the sight of your markings and leaned over the sink to get a better look, but the sensation of hands on your waist made you stiffen.  
You saw no one other than yourself in the mirror, but a large presence behind you made your blood run cold. 

“I must say you look absolutely ravishing like this, Y/N.” 

That hauntingly familiar voice made you spin around and cover yourself the best you could. Ardyn loomed over, sporting his eerie nocturnal appearance that resembled your own. He leaned closer, faces inches apart as he spoke in a hushed tone.   
“So it seems that the truth didn’t sway them. Congratulations, but I wouldn’t celebrate so soon if I were you.” 

“Get the hell ou-” Your threat was silenced as he quickly wrapped his hand around your neck and began to squeeze, rendering you of oxygen and drawing a strained cry from your red and kiss-swollen lips. You clutched at his wrist, clawing and tugging at the hand to release you.

“It won’t be long, my dear. The dark magic that flows through you cannot be denied. And when it finally overwhelms you, I will be there and I will relish the look of horror as your friends realize the mistake they have made.”

Your voice was hoarse as you struggled to form your words.   
“And w-what makes you th-think I’ll give in, you dog?”

Ardyn leaned closer, lips brushing your own and grinning wickedly.   
“You already have, because this isn’t real.”

You coughed hysterically as you caught your breath and frantically looked around the empty bathroom. You looked back into the mirror and saw only yourself, yellows eyes and all, before hurrying back to your sleeping boyfriend. Gladio stirred at the sensation of your small form clinging onto him, rolling over and hugging you to his chest. 

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Although the room was dark, his burning amber eyes were unmistakable and filled with concern. 

You simply shook your head and kissed him, pressing yourself into him even more.   
“Nothing... I'm okay.”


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Curfew Sequal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> M O R S D I L I G E R E

It had all happened so quickly; you and the boys were en route to Tenebrae when things got heated and Noctis stormed off. Gladio was absolutely fuming, seeing no window of opportunity to calm him down without him getting more violent. You knew it was best to let him cool off on his own.

You were returning from using the restroom when you approached the cart Ignis and Gladio sat in, Prompto and Noctis nowhere to be found. You peered through the small window to look at your boyfriend, who looked up to meet your gaze and gave you a slight smile.

You were about to pull the door open when you noticed someone behind you through the reflection of the glass. You didn’t have the time to turn around and see who it was as they gripped the back of your head and slammed you forward, cracking the glass with your forehead and letting your unconscious body slump to the ground. You swore you heard Gladio shout your name before you slipped into darkness.

_⁂ ⁂ ⁂_

You woke up disoriented, your forehead bruised and bleeding. The room you were held in was a small cell with a single mattress on the floor, a flickering bulb hanging above. You stumbled to your feet and gripped the bars, peering out and surveying your surroundings; cells aligned the entirety of the hallway, almost all unoccupied. Fear swelled in your chest, unsure of where you were. From what you could recall, you were on the train with your companions, the last person you saw being Gladio, then darkness…

You called out for help, looking around the dark cell for anything you could use to pick the lock, but to no avail. Footsteps drew near, head shooting up in hope. But that hope was quickly snuffed as the source of those steps finally stood on the other side of the bars, familiar hazel eyes staring you down. 

“Ardyn,” you hissed. 

The chancellor greeted you with that ever eerie smile, “Y/N. I do apologize for not being able to provide you with more comfortable housing.” 

You stomped forward, gripping the bars and snarling at him.   
“Where’s Noctis? Where are the others?”

“The prince and his adviser are fine, as for your beloved shield. The other, however, will be joining us shortly.” 

Ardyn chuckled at the confusion in your eyes, suddenly no longer in front of you but looming over from behind. You whipped around, swinging a clenched fist only to have it stopped by his larger hand. His other hand gripped your shoulder and pinned you against the bars, making you grunt and thrash against his hold. 

“What the hell did you do to Prompto?!”

“Never mind you him. He is the least of your worries. For now, let us simply focus on  _you_.” 

His lips were on yours before you could spit a threat, your rebelling screams muffled as his tongue forced its way into your mouth. It was absolutely repulsing, not simply because it was an unwanted kiss, but because of what it was doing to you. His saliva was thick and bitter, filling your mouth and nearly choking on it. Ardyn pulled away at the sensation of you biting down hard on his tongue, grinning wickedly at the state of you. 

It was at that moment that you saw the black ooze dripping down his chin: the essence of the Starscourge, and he was forcing you to feed on it. He released his hold on you, allowing you to shove him off and watched you spit and gag in attempts to expel the taint from your mouth. But the damage was done, and this was merely the first of many times in his mission to corrupt you entirely. To turn you into the thing you never wanted to succumb to.

_⁂ ⁂ ⁂_

A cold chill crept through the main halls of the magitek factory, the bottom levels of the facility even colder. Strange sounds reverberated off the iron walls, the screech of metal and animalistic howls echoing down the halls and jolting you into consciousness once more. Your body cried out in pain as you shifted from your position in the corner of the dimly lit cell, trembling hands clawed at the icy cement floor as you supported yourself up to lean against the wall. How long had you been held in this cell; days, weeks, maybe even months? You weren’t sure.

You could no longer suppress your daemon nature: your skin remained pale, claws and horns refusing to recede, along with constant sour taste of your now tar-like saliva. It constantly felt like you were choking, but no matter how much you coughed, it never went away. The thump of your heartbeat filled your ears, drowning out most of the sounds around you. Gods, how you wanted this to stop.

Prompto was in the cell at the end of the hall, and he had heard every cry of pain you made due to your transformation. It was awful, the things Ardyn was doing to the both of you. Daily, he’d come and leave the blonde with new wounds, and you had no choice but to lay there and listen to his own agony. 

And as broken and tired as you were, your thoughts were filled with that of your darling Gladiolus. How you wish he was there to pull you into his arms and tell you that everything was going to be fine. To have him kiss you and hear his dorky, contagious laughter… You were terrified of never being able to see him again.

But what if he did come? Humanity had slipped through your fingers, you weren’t sure if your mind was even your own half the time. You’d sit in one corner and the next moment you were standing by the opposite wall. Your memory was failing you, as well as your own free will. Your hands would move on their own, knees jerking and twitching out of your command. You were merely a spectator of yourself.

You lifted your head as your heightened senses easily picked up Ardyn’s cinnamon scent, seeing him standing before you. He knelt down and took hold of your chin, moving your face from side to side to examine his handiwork.

“You’re almost ready, Y/N. Now, for the final push.”

“ _S-Stop…_ ”

He took a fistful of your hair and yanked your head to the side, exposing your black-veined neck to him. You flinched and groaned at the sensation of Ardyn biting down hard at your pulse point and breaking the skin, feeling the juices his mouth secreted seep into the fresh wound. The man removed his teeth from you and smiled in satisfaction at the sound of cracking bones, watching as your body contorted in the most horrific and inhuman way possible. 

It felt like your entire body was coated in sharp needles, pushing deeper with every moment while your insides were set on fire. You managed a final, blood curdling scream as the plague finally consumed you. There was a shout of your name, and then there was nothing. 

_⁂ ⁂ ⁂_

Prompto awoke to the sound of his cell door opening, lifting his head to see Noctis undoing the clasps around his wrists. He fell to the floor, free of his constraints. 

“T-Tell me… where you worried about me?” 

“Of course I was. What kind of question is that?… I’m sorry,” Noct apologized. 

“Don’t be,” Prom smiled, “ Everything’s alright now.” 

The four exited the cell and made their way down the hall, but the blonde hesitated as he stopped in front of the one you were kept in. Only, you were no longer there. Gladiolus looked back at his friend, stopping in his tracks and calling out to him. 

“What’s the hold up?”

“I-It’s just,” Prom shook his head,” This was where Y/N was, but..” 

Gladio ran to where he stood and pushed the unlocked door open. No sign of you anywhere. He clenched his fists, silently begging to the Astrals that you were safe. He turned to Prom, eyes filled with grief. 

“What did they do to her?”   
When Prompto didn’t answer, the shield stepped towards him and shook him by the shoulders. “ _What did they do to her?!_ ” 

Noctis yanked the blonde away from Gladio, stepping in between the two.   
“Gladio, stop! He’s been through enough as it is!” 

Prom shook his head, keeping his gaze down.   
“A-Ardyn did something… I’m not sure what, _but she was in so much pain_.”

“Best we keep moving. We will have a better chance of finding her if we press on,” Ignis spoke up.

Gladio breathed deeply through his nostrils, doing his best to gather his composure. If you weren’t in the lower levels, then you had to be elsewhere. And he was determined to find you and bring you home, home to him. He took a final deep breath before nodding and agreeing with his friend. 

With Noctis having already been an emotional wreck with the disappearance of Prompto, he had to be strong for him. For  _all_  of them. And with the weight of you also missing, he nearly broke. He had lost so much already, but with finding Prom, there was also hope of finding you too. The four set out, pressing on with the mission. 

They defeated daemon after daemon, and then had to face what was left of Ravus. There was no sense of victory in putting him out of his misery, but they had no choice.

Ignis shook his head, “ _What kind of fiend makes daemons of men?_ ”

Gladio spun around at the sound of manifesting creatures, “Look alive, company!”

There was seemingly no end to the monsters that stood in their path, and as much as Noctis dreaded it, he would have to press on alone before the chamber doors could shut. 

And so went the prince after the crystal, leaving his companions behind to hold off for as long as possible. They had just about cut down half of their opponents when they all suddenly started to dissipate. Prompto and Gladio gazed around, confused yet still on alert. 

“What’s happening?” Ignis asked,” Did Noct…?” 

That was when Gladiolus heard Prompto let out a horrified gasp.

“ _Gladio, look out-_ ”

The shield spun around, swinging his sword along with him at full force. His eyes went wide as he saw the creature he had just sliced through.

It was you. Twisted and corrupted, just like the High Commander. You weakly reached out a clawed hand before you collapsed at his feet, struggling to form words in the prison that was your own body.

Gladio’s broadsword dissipated before it could clatter to the ground, dropping to his knees and scooping up your broken form in his arms. He shook his head, refusing to believe that this was real.

“No, no, no, this wasn’t supposed to happen.I was supposed to protect you,” his voice cracked. 

You managed to croak out a garbled, “ _G-G….. Gla……ddy.._ ”. Your distorted vision began to regain focus for the first time in days, revealing the face of a distraught and heart broken Gladiolus. You wanted to hold on to him, to give him a final kiss, but your body refused to move. 

“ _Baby, come back to me_ ,” he begged. 

Shaking your head, your eyes began to shut. He pleaded for you to stay awake, but you preferred it this way. Hell, you were  _glad_  that this was the end. From the moment the Starscourge had taken over your body, it was nothing but pain and anguish. Now, the pain was gone, fading away just like your physical form. Your lips twitched into a smile, feeling the warmth of a powerful force pulling you into its comforting embrace. You had fought your battle. 

And just like that, you were gone. Gladio stared down at his empty and shaking hands, tears finally spilling down his cheeks. A million scenarios went through his mind in a single moment, every way that he could have prevented this from happening; If he had kept his cool on the train, if they had found you before Prompto, if he hadn’t swung his blade… 

But it was over. 

A gentle hand rested on his shoulder, reminding him of where he was. 

“Gladio,” Ignis spoke quietly, “I’m sorry, but it’s time to go. Noct needs us.” 

He gritted his teeth, desperately wanting to spin around and shout at his friends that he had the right to mourn after everything he had gone through. 

But Ignis was right. Although he had failed you, he would not fail his king. 

“Yeah… Let’s go.”


End file.
